Fork.



No. 816,536. PATENTED MAR. 2'7, 1906.

J. W. OURRIER.

FORK.

APPLICATION FILED APR.22. 190s.

WITNESSES WW hn M. (707N197- amam. Q 14d INVENTOR JOHN IV. CURRIER, OF BOSTON. MASSACHUSETTS.

FORK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 27, 1906.

Application filed April 22, 1905. Serial No. 256,956.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN W. CURRIER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Forks, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to an improvement in forks designed for lifting pickles, olives,

&c., from containing vessels.

The object of the invention is the production of a fork which is provided with means for removing the article taken up on the tines and which can be easily and cheaply manufactured.

Another object of the invention is to provide space on a portion of the fork for advertising purposes, the part of the fork furnishing the advertising-space having another useful function, to be described hereinafter.

The invention will first be described in connection with the accompanying drawings and then pointed out in the claim.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the preferred form of my fork, showing the removing-plunger in a retracted position. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section, the plunger being shown in elevation. Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the plunger in the projected position. Fig. 4 is a broken perspective showing another form of tines and plunger-head, the plunger-shaft being shown in dotted lines. Fig. 5 is a broken perspective showing another form of plungerhead.

Referring to the drawings, in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, 1 is a tube forming the body of the fork, being cut away a short distance from one end to form a shoulder 2, the por tion beyond the shoulder being flattened and formed into tines 3. Near the other end 4 of the body portion a thin plate or disk 5 is secured by means of a collar 6, formed integral with the disk. This disk or plate serves as a grip in operating the fork and also furnishes a convenient and conspicuous space in which to stamp advertising matter.

Incased within the tube 1 and movable longitudinally therein is a shaft 7, forming what I term a removin lun 'er. A small portion of this shaft in proximity to the tines 3 is turned up at right angle to the longitudinal aXis of the shaft and forms the head 8 of the plunger, which, abutting against shoulder 2 of the body portion when the plunger 1s moved away from the tines, limits 1ts movement in this direction. T0 the other end of shaft 7 is attached a disk 9, which serves as a finger-press in moving the plunger to detach an impinged article. A coil-spring 10 enc1rcles the shaft 7 and bears against the fingerpress 9 and the end 4 of the body portion and will of course when fully compressed by the plunger being forced toward the tines l mit the movement of the plunger in that d1rectoin and will return the plunger to retracted position when the pressure is removed from the finger-press.

The body portion 1 and plunger 7 are of approximately equal length, so that in its forward movement the head 8 will contact wlth anything held by the tines and force it therefrom.

In Fig. 1 is shown a fork with four tines 11, formed by splitting, spreading, and pointing the end of the tubular body portion 12. The plunger-head 13 in this form is an enlarged end of the plunger-shaft and moves centrally of the tines 11.

In Fig. 5 is illustrated another form of plunger-head 14, formed bybending the plunger-shaft 15 into the form of an elongated eye of sufiicient length to prevent its passing through the tubular body portion 16 when moved to retracted position.

In using the fork the pickle, olive, or the like is impinged by the tines in usual manner and lifted from the containing vessel. The article thus held can then be detached from the fork by pushing forward the plunger, the head of which will in its movement toward the tines come in contact with the article and force it from the fork when the plunger has reached its limit of movement.

The fork is always ready for use irrespective of the position of the 1plunger, which, if in projected position, wil be forced away from the tines by the action of the coil-spring when the pressure exerted on the finger-press incident to the removal of the impinged artiole is removed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A fork comprising a tubular body provided at one end with tines, a plunger movable l0ngitudinally Within the body, one end of said plunger cooperating With the tines and the opposite end projecting beyond the adjacent end of the body-for manual manipulation, and

a spring encircling the plunger and adapted 5 to normally maintain said plunger in inoperative position.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

JOHN W. CURRIER.

Witnesses:

SEWALL C. BRAOKETT, CHARLES J. LENNEY. 

